Edward Snowden blames President Obama

NSA leaker Edward Snowden on Monday criticized President Barack Obama for empty promises in a wide-ranging online interview, saying that the president’s alleged failings influenced his decision to release the secret information on government surveillance.

“Obama’s campaign promises and election gave me faith that he would lead us toward fixing the problems he outlined in his quest for votes. Many Americans felt similarly. Unfortunately, shortly after assuming power, he closed the door on investigating systemic violations of law, deepened and expanded several abusive programs, and refused to spend the political capital to end the kind of human rights violations like we see in Guantanamo, where men still sit without charge,” Snowden said in a response to a question from a commenter on The Guardian’s website.

Speaking further about his mindset in deciding to release the information, Snowden said Congress and the administration also spurred him to act.

“There was no single moment. It was seeing a continuing litany of lies from senior officials to Congress - and therefore the American people - and the realization that that Congress, specifically the Gang of Eight, wholly supported the lies that compelled me to act. Seeing someone in the position of James Clapper - the Director of National Intelligence - baldly lying to the public without repercussion is the evidence of a subverted democracy,” Snowden wrote.

Snowden appeared to be referring to the so-called intelligence gang of eight, the four leaders (ranking members and chairs) of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and the four leaders of the House and Senate.

But Snowden, answering questions from an unknown location, said there was still a chance for the president to redeem himself.

”This disclosure provides Obama an opportunity to appeal for a return to sanity, constitutional policy, and the rule of law rather than men. He still has plenty of time to go down in history as the President who looked into the abyss and stepped back, rather than leaping forward into it. I would advise he personally call for a special committee to review these interception programs, repudiate the dangerous “State Secrets” privilege, and … begin a tradition for all Presidents … by appointing a special investigator to review the policies of their years in office for any wrongdoing,” Snowden said.

During the 1 1/2 hour-long session, Snowden gave responses covering everything from the technical details of the surveillance programs, to his salary, to the media response to his coming forward.

Snowden repeatedly disputed claims that his actions harmed national security.

”Bathtub falls and police officers kill more Americans than terrorism, yet we’ve been asked to sacrifice our most sacred rights for fear of falling victim to it,” Snowden said to one commenter.

“I did not reveal any US operations against legitimate military targets,” Snowden wrote in another response.

Snowden also said the U.S. would not be able to silence him.

“All I can say right now is the US Government is not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me. Truth is coming, and it cannot be stopped,” Snowden said when asked by Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald what would happen to the information he possessed if something happened to him.

The 29-year-old also addressed how the public debate has been shaped by his leak, lamenting media attention on the personal details of his life.